Canterbury farmers are worried proposed immigration cuts will leave them unable to staff their operations.

It is estimated there are around 3,800 migrant workers on New Zealand dairy farms.

Labour planned to cut immigration by between 20,000 and 30,000 migrants.

Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury Chairman Michael Salvesen said migrant workers were important to all sectors of farming, specifically Canterbury dairy farms, where he called the current labour shortages "critical".